Pancakes
by knacc
Summary: Zer0 makes pancakes for a hungover Gaige. Set in a contemporary!AU where the Vault Hunters are housemates.


"Circles of batter/ fried and coated in syrup/ the perfect breakfast," Zer0 says as he drops a fluffy golden cake onto the plate in front of Gaige.

She lifts her head from where it was resting on the table, a wide smile cracking across her face. "OMG, I literally love you, you know that right?"

Zer0 stops on his way back to the stove, making sure to keep his face turned away from her. His stomach clenches a little and he tries not to smile. She doesn't mean it like that, he reminds himself.

"But," she continues after an awkward pause, "there is no way you just said a haiku about pancakes. How can you be such a dork?"

Zer0 huffs loudly, ignoring her as he starts work on a second pancake.

He is busying himself with cooking while Gaige is frequently extolling the great virtues of her breakfast, when down the hall, a door slams open. "Do I smell pancakes?" Salvador shouts far louder than someone who drank as much as he did last night ever should.

Lilith opens her door far more gingerly, murmuring, "Is someone making everyone breakfast?"

And before Zer0 can say anything, the whole house descends upon the kitchen, all awaiting food. He sighs as he starts to mix up more batter. They are all milling about, pulling out plates and forks and unfolding the extra chairs when Axton comes up behind him saying, "Hey, let me help you with these."

"Thanks," Zer0 says without looking up from his stirring.

"Bet you were just making them for Gaige, right?" Axton whispers as he reaches across Zer0 for more oil.

Zer0 says nothing.

"Don't worry, man. Your secrets safe with me."

Zer0 continues to act like he can't hear Axton as he passes him the batter and goes to grab some bacon. Axton is poking at the edges of the currently baking pancake when Zer0 returns with a whole frozen slab of the stuff. "Really if you ask me though," Zer0 raises his eyebrows and Axton hurries to add, "Which I know you're not, but still, if you were, I'd say you should really just go for it. That girl's been all over you since you climbed out of that cave you call a bedroom. What have you got to lose?"

Zer0 stops cutting the block of bacon in half to glance over his shoulder at Gaige. She's rubbing at her temples probably due to a bit of a headache but still smiling like today is the best day ever. Too much, he thinks.

Once a truly horrendous amount of bacon and pancakes has been consumed and everyone is groaning about having eaten too much, Gaige leans over and pecks Zer0 on the cheek as she takes his plate. "Thanks for doing this for everyone," she beams, heading to the sink.

He brings a hand up to the cheek she kissed. Maybe he should go after her. Maybe he should stride over to that sink, kiss her on the cheek and see what she says. Maybe- but his thoughts are momentarily derailed when he feels two big rough hands grasp his face. "You are the best robot ever," Sal says before kissing him rather firmly. It's not a bad kiss really but not something he wanted either. Zer0 blinks a little as Sal lets go.

"What the hell?" Axton says, finally interrupting the silence

"It's no big deal. I'm just thanking him for the pancakes. Gaige did it too."

"Yeah but it's not really the same thing," Lilith says.

Salvador ignores her, smiling and wiggling his eyebrows at Axton. "It's your turn next, pretty boy."

"Uhuh," Axton shakes his head, "You are not my type."

"You're missing out, amigo. I'm a great kisser, right robot?"

"Yeah sure," Zer0 says, looking straight past everyone as he gets up from the table. Fuck this, he thinks. If Sal can just up and kiss me like its no big deal than I can kiss Gaige. I can do this. He wipes at his mouth and strides over to her, head held high. Upon reaching Gaige though, he feels his stomach drop and all he can manage to say is "Sal kissed me."

She looks up from where she is scrubbing a plate. "To thank you, right? He's always like that. If it's not a kiss, its a big old bone shaking slap on the shoulder. So how was it?"

"How was what?" Zer0 tilts his head.

"The kiss, was it any good?"

"He's competent but not who I want kissing me exactly."

"I didn't think that there was anyone on that list," Gaige says, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"There is," he says and this is where he'd kiss her if wasn't a giant coward. But he is so he just stands there and wills her to understand his vague attempt at flirting.

"Oh," she says. "Anyone I know?"

Zer0 considers lying for a second but realizes that it would completely nullify any of the fail flirting he's done so far so he says, "Yes," and stares at his shoes.

"Guess I'm just gonna need to get you drunk one of these days and make you to tell me eh?" She elbows his gently in the side and he looks up at her. She's got this smile on her face and when their eyes meet, his chest constricts. For a second, he could swear she looks like she's moving towards him but the plate she's cleaning drops into the suds with a splash and she looks away. "You should make Sal come in here and help me with these," she chuckles, "He never does them when they're his turn anyway."

"Alright," Zer0 says, turning to leave.

"Games later?" Gaige calls after him.

"Sure. Counter-Strike?"

"Ugh, only if your massive ego really needs a stroking."

He laughs, "Always."

Even though she's turned the other way, he can tell she's rolling her eyes, "Fine. You're insufferable, you know that?"

"I may have heard that before, yes."

"Good thing you have that amazing ass or I don't think anyone would deal with you." He turns around and sure enough, she's sticking her tongue out at him.

Zer0 rolls his eyes and then goes to grab Sal. He may never get to be with Gaige but for now he has this, and this is more than he could have ever hoped for really.


End file.
